YSA: Hounds Walk Over Bloomberg

The Tailor is now 4-1 with a team-leading 6.59 ERA

Sam had another big day at the plate with 3 RBIs

A-Town bustin it all the way

Mike's W-L % as manager is 100%

C-Rod makes the play

In the midst of a historic heatwave gripping the city, it was time once again for the Hounds to take the field. The opponents were our old friends the Bloomberg Bombers. Their roster seemed to have been almost completely turned over though, and there was none of the old testiness of other encounters. We came into the game facing plenty of adversity...a loss in our last official game, the game after that up in the air, an almost month long layoff, Cap suspended, questionable rulings by league officials, and to top it off, almost half of our roster unavailable for this game. Luckily we were blessed to be able to get original Hound Amy and new recruit Libby to fill in and help us round out our lineup. MikePa took command of the troops in Cap's absence.

Iain took the mound in the top of the 1st, and he battled out of a bit of trouble to get through the inning scoreless. Then, our offense struck in the bottom of the 1st on RBIs from C-Rod, Mike(2) and Sam. Staked with an early lead, Iain was masterful and in full control of the strike zone the whole game, and if Bloomberg did score, it was due to some questionable D. He also hit a solo home run. Bloomberg would get through the 2nd with no damage, but then in the 3rd we exploded for 6 runs, and it seemed like we were on our way. Iain locked it down, and Bloomberg was only able to muster some insignificant runs. They were ready to say goodnight by the time the 7th rolled around and we gently rocked them to bed. Final Score: Hounds 12, Bloomberg Bombers 4. 

Mano held it down at 3rd for Cap admirably

Amy made her return to the Hounds

MikePa played at a speed Bloomberg was not ready for

This was an important win, and the bottom line is the result, but we need to step up our game for our next match up against perpetual contenders Citywolves. After the 3rd inning, we played pretty much even up with Bloomberg, as there was a bit of playing down to the competition on our part. In the end, I think it's beneficial in a way to have not let it get to mercy rule, as we got a couple extra innings of reps, but let's not make a habit out of this, because a storm is coming. A win in our next game clinches a playoff spot, but it will be a hard win to get. Citywolves would love nothing more than to put a damper on our playoff hopes.

On a side note, a big thanks to Amy & Libby for filling in for us on such short notice and helping us get this win. There is no way we could have done it without you.

All-Star Baseball Cards

C-Rod & Justin Represent the Hounds at the ASG

Over at DeWitt Clinton Park, it was time for the annual Yorkville All-Star Game. Cindy "C-Rod" Rodriguez and Justin "Kaiser" Hoyt were sent to represent the Hounds.
Unfortunately, victory was not to be for the Hounds team, but a fun time was had by all, and the Hounds distinguished themselves with some solid play in the field. C-Rod had one at-bat and took a walk, while Justin went 1 for 2 with a run scored. Well played, Hounds!

Hounds at the Apollo

Supporting our fellow Hound Paige as she took the stage at one of the world's most iconic venues!

Zog: Team Picture

front row (L to R): Kyle #18(R), Push #25, Jessie #27, Amy #12, Juiena #23, Cindy #24, Camille #4

back row (L to R): Mike #8, Jason #11, Wink #2, George #9, Karim #10, Buddah #34(R)

not pictured: Dave #99, Diana #15, Iain #3, Pat #6

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Taken on 11/21/09.

Team MVPs

Time to announce the team MVPs for Fall 2009. It was a close vote and in the end there ended up being ties on both the guys and the gals side. First, the ladies:

Camille - Camille had subbed for us before, but only until this season was she a full-time Hound. And what an addition she was. She came through with clutch hits coupled with solid fielding mostly behind the plate, but also at 2B and RF. Who will ever forget her huge RBI triple at the end of the final to seal our victory.

Margaret - What can we say about our Cy Young winner that hasn't already been said. Whenever she is pitching, we have a very good chance to win. Solid fielding, timely hitting, and overall leadership round it all out. She is a complete player. Went 3 for 3 in the championship and sparked the game-winning rally.

And now, the guys:

Iain - Mr. Clutch as I like to call him was a stellar performer all season long and through the playoffs. He looked like he was hurtin' at times out there, all the more reason to respect what he was doing. His batting average was an unbelievable .846.

Jason - This guy was our silent assassin, our T-1000. Whether at the top of the order or the middle, he did tons of damage to opposing pitching. None of his hits were cheap. In the field he was a shutdown outfielder who you didn't want to hit it anywhere near to. Led the team in hits(tied), home runs, RBIs, and runs scored.

So there you have your MVPs, team. However there were also other Hounds receiving votes:

Amelia - Due to scheduling conflicts Schimmy didn't really get going for us until the 2nd half of the season. When she did finally play, she brought an added dimension to our lineup. It's no coincidence that after she started showing up, we became an offensive juggernaut.

Cindy - All C-Rod did was come to every single game and play solid fundamental ball for us. She was our most disciplined hitter, I don't recall her swinging at a bad pitch all season. Hit a solid .438 in the regular season.

Diana - D.Lo made huge strides this season and distinguished herself at Catcher and 2nd base. She is a prospect to watch in upcoming seasons. She also supported the team loudly and unconditionally.

Juiena - Juice emerged as a reliable No.2 starter for us in the 2nd half of the season. She seemed to perform better with each start, and we were victorious in every game she pitched. She is also one to watch for next season.

Mega - Our reigning MVP's numbers weren't quite what they were last season, but Mega's hits always seemed to come at critical moments. He really elevated his game in the playoffs, capped by his 2 home run performance in the final. He has my vote for World Series MVP.

Zog Semi-Final: Hounds Humiliate ZooMass; One Win Away from the 'Chip

The playoffs are once again here and we came into this game with a single-minded determination. Having stumbled the last two Zog seasons at the semi-final hurdle, we Hounds were eager to exorcise the ghosts of post-seasons past. It was a gorgeous fall Sunday night and we were at DeWitt Clinton Field, a good ballfield with a nice playing surface. In the opposing dugout was a team called ZooMass, the team which had handed us our one loss in the regular season. In the back of my mind, I knew that loss was a fluke and that we would have the upper hand this time around. Just how much of an upper hand, even I was surprised to see.

Margaret was our starting pitcher and she once again showed why she is our staff ace. She pitched a 1-2-3 top of the 1st, and soon it was time for us to bat. After a hit and two walks loaded the bases, Iain stepped up and hit a grand-slam home run. That home run set the table for the entire evening. After the 1st was over, we were up 6-0 and ZooMass already looked defeated. They made their first of several protests throughout the game. After a brief delay to reference the rules, their protest was shot down. That seemed to make us even more motivated to stomp them, and our offense continued the scoring barrage inning after inning. Every Hound had a part to play, but some standouts were Jason T, who had a monster 4 for 4, 2 home-run game, the aforementioned Iain(4 for 4), Amelia(2 for 3, 3 RS), Mega(3 for 4, HR), Wink(3 for 3, 3 RS), Alan(3 for 3), and Camille(2 for 3).

ZooMass continued to stop play every inning to protest(what exactly I don't know), but we just continued to focus on our business.They were able to ruin Margaret's shutout with a clean home run, but soon it was the last inning and they were down by more than 20 runs. We closed the game out with a nifty 6-6-3 double play. Final Score: Hounds 23, ZooMass 2.

To say we were impressive tonight would be a massive understatement. However, we haven't won anything yet. We have a big game tomorrow night against what I am sure will be a very good team. Let's bring the same focus we brought tonight, and we will be very difficult to beat.

Zog: Hounds Pound Balls of Steel to Start the Season Right

Having finished last season respectably in the top 4, the Hounds were eager to take the field once again and start a new season. The fall season is only 6 games long, making each game that much more important. 

For opening day we headed over to DeWitt Clinton Park in Midtown. This field has always been good to us, and today would be no different. In the opposing dugout was Balls of Steel, a solid-hitting ballclub with a a few good fielders that made the mistake of not having enough females. Perhaps they could have gotten away with it against another team, but not the Hounds.

We were up to bat first and from the very beginning, we were able to find the holes in the defense. Iain, Dave, and Braden each had monster games. Iain had two home runs and 6 RBIs, Dave had a home run and 5 RBIs, and Braden also had a home run and 6 RBIs. The rest of the squad contributed too, it was an all around team effort offensively.

Our starting pitcher was Spring/Summer Season MVP Margaret. As usual, she pitched very well. For the most part, we made the defensive plays we needed to make, and were able to keep a big lead throughout the game. By the time the last inning rolled around, the result had long been decided. Nice work, Hounds. Final Score: Hounds 22, Balls of Steel 10.

Zog: Team Photo

Pictures from game vs SCN (8/1/09)

Here are some great shots from our game today. Big up to all those who passed the camera around and made these happen.